Lilac tasselflower, Cupid's shaving brush, Flora's paintbrush, Red tasselflower, Sowthistle tasselflower
Emilia sonchifolia
🌿 Morphology
🌞 Growing conditions
🌍 Origin and family
🌾 Uses
Warning: Despite the care taken in writing this sheet, it is essential to cross-reference sources before using or consuming any plant. When in doubt, consult a qualified professional
Permaculture uses
Leaves are edible raw or cooked, used in salads or as a pot herb. Has some medicinal uses, particularly as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic. Can be used as a ground cover in some tropical and subtropical climates. May attract beneficial insects.
Permapeople description
An annual herb with reddish-purple flowers
Botanical description
Emilia sonchifolia is an annual, erect or ascending herb typically reaching 40-70 cm in height. The stems are slender, branched and glabrous. The leaves are variable, alternate, the lower ones petiolate and lyrate-pinnatifid, while the upper ones are sessile and clasping. The flower heads are small, cylindrical, and composed of many florets, usually pink to lilac in color, but sometimes white or orange. The fruit is an achene with a pappus of white hairs, facilitating wind dispersal. It is often mistaken for a weed.
Companion planting
No specific companion planting information is widely available, but generally it does not seem to have any negative allelopathic effects on other crops. Further research is required to identify potentially beneficial companions.
Propagation methods
Primarily propagated by seeds. Seeds can be sown directly into the ground or started in trays and transplanted. Self-seeding is common.
History and traditions
Historically used in traditional medicine systems of Asia and Africa for wound healing, pain relief, and as a general tonic. The plant has been employed in various cultural practices for its purported medicinal properties and occasionally as a food source in times of scarcity.
Usage calendar
Flowering typically occurs year-round in tropical climates. Harvesting of leaves can occur throughout the growing season. Sowing can be done in the spring or fall depending on the climate. Pruning is generally not necessary.